General

The Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering offers postgraduate training to local and international students in the following disciplines:

• Control Systems
• Satellite Systems
• Biomedical Electronics
• Electrical Energy
• Smart Grid Technology
• Computational Electromagnetics
• Microwaves and Antennas
• Computer Systems
• Telecommunications
• Signal Processing
• Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

More information on these disciplines is given here, with the interests of individual supervisors given here.

Postgraduate Degree Programmes Offered

• Master of Engineering (MEng) (Research) in Electrical or Electronic Engineering
• Master of Engineering (MEng) (Structured) in Smart Grid Technology
• Master of Engineering (MEng) (Structured) in Power Systems and Operation
• Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Smart Grid Technology
• Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Power Systems and Operation
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Electrical or Electronic Engineering

More details on these degrees are also available here, in the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook, and under the other tabs on this page.

Language Policy

All our postgraduate degrees are offered fully in English. Depending on enrolment, in some cases content is additionally also delivered in Afrikaans.

Masters and Doctoral (Research)

Our department offers the following postgraduate research degrees:

• Masters of Engineering (MEng) (Research) in Electrical or Electronic Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Electrical or Electronic Engineering
• Doctor of Engineering (DEng) in Electrical or Electronic Engineering

More details on these degrees are available here.

Potential research topics for 2024

Admission Requirements

Please consult the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook for admission requirements.

Applications

The research activities in our department are led by individual supervisors. For any student to be considered for postgraduate studies, you first need to find a supervisor that is willing to take you on. Students without a prospective supervisor will not be considered. If you meet the above admission requirements, you therefore first have to find a prospective supervisor before applying. You can look through our research activity and staff pages and reach out to individual supervisors to hear if they would be willing to supervise you.

Note that supervisors are limited by whether they have bandwidth to supervise students and by whether your research interests synchronize with their fields of expertise. Supervisors get a lot of student queries, so do your homework beforehand: it goes a long way if the student has done a bit of background investigation on a prospective supervisor before contacting them.

Once you have found a prospective supervisor, they guide you through the application steps given below, while adhering to the application deadlines.

Application deadlines

Application Steps

1. The candidate finds a prospective supervisor who is willing to supervise them (see above).
2. The candidate and supervisor complete and sign the departmental form (available here).
3. All candidates must submit a formal application to the university via the SUNStudent online platform. Students currently registered at Stellenbosch will not need to upload any additional documents. For external applicants, the following supplementary documents will be required:
   • Dept-MEng/PhD(Electronic Engineering) Research (Full time): Here you upload the above departmental form (ensure that your SUNStudent Application ID is included on the form).
   • Confirmation of Prospective Supervisor: You can upload an email from the supervisor indicating that they are willing to supervise you.
   • More details on the required documents for SUNStudent can be found here.
   • For SUNStudent application support, contact the university’s Service Centre via email info@sun.ac.za​ or phone +27 21 808 9111​​​.
4. Notify your supervisor via email once your application has been submitted, giving them your SUNStudent Application ID. They send the Application ID to the Postgraduate Administrator (Mr Larry Morkel).
5. Upon receipt of the Application ID, the Postgraduate Administrator informs the E&E Management Committee of the application.
6. A selection process takes place and candidates are notified of their application outcomes via official communication issued by the Registrar’s Responsibility Centre. It is therefore important to visit the SUNStudent platform regularly to ensure that you do not miss out on any of the notifications and communication sent to you.

Registration

If you are accepted, you will have to register as a student at the university at the start of each year. New students will have to register in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary after receiving acceptance notification by letter and/or e-mail. You will need to present your original degree certificate(s). Current students should register at the start of each year, either online or in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary.

Queries

• Your prospective supervisor (almost always the best person to ask)
• Stellenbosch University postgraduate website
• International Office
• Masters registration: Ms Wilna Wessels
• PhD registration: Ms Nicole Hartzenburg
• E&E Postgraduate Administrator: Mr Larry Morkel

Masters (Structured)

Our department offers a structured Masters degree that consists of coursework and a mayor research assignment. Prospective students may choose between two fields of specialisation:

• Master of Engineering (MEng) (Structured) in Smart Grid Technology
• Master of Engineering (MEng) (Structured) in Power System Planning and Operation

For a listing of the current modules offered for these fields of specialisation, please refer to the current postgraduate section.

For more information regarding the MEng (Structured) degree, you may consult the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook .

Admission Requirements

Please consult the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook  for admission requirements.

Applications

Since limited capacity exists for study leading for the research assignment, only a limited number of students will be accepted. The selection process will take place shortly after the application deadline and students will be duly notified whether their applications were successful.

Application deadlines

Prospective students that adhere to the admission requirements above may follow the steps below to apply.

Application Steps

1. Prospective students must first complete the departmental form of the E&E department that you may download here.
2. Thereafter a formal application via the University’s online portal, SUNStudent, must be submitted.
   • The departmental form and a complete CV should be uploaded under “Upload documents” once the “MEng (Electrical Engineering) Struct (Full time)” or “MEng (Electrical Engineering) Struct (Part time)” programme option has been added under “Programme Selection”. Please note: Stellenbosch University students who have recently completed their BEng qualification need not upload an academic transcript and CV.
   • More details on the required documents for SUNStudent can be found here.
   • For SUNStudent application support, contact the University’s Client Service Centre via email info@sun.ac.za or phone +27 21 808 9111.
3. A selection process takes place and candidates are notified of their application outcomes via official communication issued by the Registrar’s Responsibility Centre. It is therefore important to visit the SUNStudent platform regularly to ensure that you do not miss out on any of the notifications and communication sent to you.

Prospective students that are not selected are encouraged to consider the Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering offered by our department as an alternative to the Master of Engineering degree. Please also consult the  Faculty of Engineering Yearbook  to get more information regarding our Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering as well as the information under the Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering tab above.

Registration

If you are accepted, you will have to register as a student at the university at the start of each year. New students will have to register in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary after receiving acceptance notification by letter and/or e-mail. You will need to present your original degree certificate(s). Current students should register at the start of each year, either online or in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary.

Queries

• Stellenbosch University website
• International Office
• Masters registration: Ms Wilna Wessels
• E&E Postgraduate Administrator: Mr Larry Morkel

Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering

Our department offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering that consists of coursework. Prospective students may choose between two fields of specialisation:

• Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Smart Grid Technology
• Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Power System Planning and Operations

For a listing of the current modules offered for these fields of specialisation, please refer to the current postgraduate section

For more information regarding the Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering, you may consult the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook .

Admission Requirements

Please consult the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook  for admission requirements.

Applications

Prospective students that adhere to the admission requirements above may follow the steps below to apply.

Application deadlines

Application Steps

1. Prospective students must first complete the departmental form of the E&E department that you may download here.
2. Thereafter a formal application via the University’s online portal, SUNStudent, must be submitted.
   • The departmental form and a complete CV should be uploaded under “Upload documents” once the “Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Smart Grid Technology” or “Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Power System Planning and Operations” programme option(s) has been added under “Programme Selection”.
   • More details on the required documents for SUNStudent can be found here.
   • For SUNStudent application support, contact the University’s Client Service Centre via email info@sun.ac.za or phone +27 21 808 9111.
3. A selection process takes place and candidates are notified of their application outcomes via official communication issued by the Registrar’s Responsibility Centre. It is therefore important to visit the SUNStudent platform regularly to ensure that you do not miss out on any of the notifications and communication sent to you.

Registration

If you are accepted, you will have to register as a student at the university at the start of each year. New students will have to register in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary after receiving acceptance notification by letter and/or e-mail. You will need to present your original degree certificate(s). Current students should register at the start of each year, either online or in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary.

Queries

• Stellenbosch University website
• International Office
• Masters registration: Ms Wilna Wessels
• E&E Postgraduate Administrator: Mr Larry Morkel

Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering

Our department offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering that consists of coursework. Prospective students may choose between two fields of specialisation:

• Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Smart Grid Technology
• Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Power System Planning and Operations

For a listing of the current modules offered for these fields of specialisation, please refer to the current postgraduate section

For more information regarding the Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering, you may consult the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook .

Admission Requirements

Please consult the Faculty of Engineering Yearbook  for admission requirements.

Applications

Prospective students that adhere to the admission requirements above may follow the steps below to apply.

Application deadlines

Application Steps

1. Prospective students firstly fill in the departmental application form of the E&E department that you may download here.
2. All students must then apply on SUNStudent.
   • The departmental application form and a complete CV should be uploaded under “Upload documents” once “MEng(Electrical Engineering) Struct (Full time)” or “MEng(Electrical Engineering) Struct (Part time)” has been added under “Programme Selection”. A complete academic record needs to be included in the CV. (Make sure to complete all other information as required.)
3. Once a prospective student is selected, the Postgraduate Administrator notifies the university’s Registration Office, which then sends out emails notifying the students of their formal acceptance.
4. International students. The university’s International Office could ask for further proof of:
   • English language proficiency.

• Proof of funding. If funding is provided by an external funding body or the prospective supervisor, they can write a letter confirming funds.

Registration

If you are accepted, you will have to register as a student at the university at the start of each year. New students will have to register in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary after receiving acceptance notification by letter and/or e-mail. You will need to present your original degree certificate(s). Current students should register at the start of each year, either online or in person at the office of the Faculty Secretary.

Queries

• Stellenbosch University website
• International Office
• Masters registration: Ms Wilna Wessels
• E&E Postgraduate Administrator: Mr Larry Morkel